God Names from Myth and Legend

Ara is a unique boys' name that one of the most melodious in the Armenian name pool, familiarized by Notre Dame football coach Ara Parseghian. In Armenian mythology, Ara was a king so handsome that a rival queen went to war in order to make him her own. The name Ara is also known in the Arabic and Hebrew cultures.

This sparkling name from Norse Mythology is borne by the blacksmith dwarf, who, along with his brother Brokkr, forged Thor's hammer Mjǫllnir and Odin's golden ring, Draupnir. Also known as Eitri in mythology, his name means "sparkling" or "someone who sprays sparks", likely in reference to his work with metal.

Kirin is a mythical Chinese figure that is a flying horse with elements of a dragon. The creature combines elements of the male -- Ki -- and the female -- Rin -- to make a gender neutral name that would work well in the Western World.

A Titan in Greek mythology, would not work in the modern world.

Too many Connors in your neighborhood? This name--spelled with one 'l' or two--is equally authentic and much more unusual.

The name of the ferrymen of dead souls to the Greek underworld and the name of Pluto's desolate moon, Charon makes an interesting, if somewhat macabre, choice for a baby. There are two pronunciations of this name, depending on whether you're referring to the ferryman or the moon. While the Greek version is pronounced with a hard "k" sound, the astronomer who named the moon did not know about the Greek myth - he named the moon after his wife Charlene, so many astronomers pronounce it with a "sh" sound.

Hesperos or Hesperus is the personification of the evening star in Greek mythology; in Roman myth, that role is held by Venus. There's a Longfellow poem called "The Wreck of the Hesperus" about a tragic ship voyage.

Hippolyte is the name of an Amazonian princess AND her son, both unfortunate mythical figures. The name Hippolyte, later borne by several saints, is a not an uncommon boys' name in France, but has barely set foot on American soil and is unlikely to do so. It was the middle name of famed French playwright Jean Giraudoux.

Son of Zeus known for musical abilities, an edgy choice for music-minded families.

In Finnish mythology, Ahti (also known as Ahto) was a heroic character and god of the sea, rivers and fishing, also referred to as Saarelainen ("Islander").

Only if you're hoping for your son to become a wine-besotted poet. To the ancient Romans, Bacchus was the god of agriculture, wine and fertility.

Quirinus is the Roman god of thunder and lightning, believed by some to be the Sabine god of war. While this is an intriguing and distinctive classic name, it also might provoke some middle school teasing.

In ancient myth, Ashur was the supreme deity of the Assyrian Empire, the ruler of the gods, the god of war, and the creator of all things.

The meaning of this ancient Roman god's name relates to transitions, hence its connection to the name of the first month of the new year, a time of fresh beginnings. Janus is usually depicted as a two-faced god facing in opposite directions, since he looks both to the future and the past. It's no surprise then, that Janus is one of the premiere January baby names. The Slavic form Janusz is more commonly used than the English, represented by the Polish cinematographer Janusz Kaminski, who has shot all of Steven Spielberg's films from Schindler's List to Lincoln.

Biblical Hebrew form of Caleb, which means "dog", or possibly "whole heart". Kalev is also the Estonian form of the Finnish name Kaleva, from an ancient demonym of unknown derivation.

Pan is the Greek god with the legs of a goat and the body of a pipes-playing man known for his mischievousness. Pan is also the god of shepherds, pastures, and fertility. Pan is also a Hindi name meaning leaf or feather.

The god of storms in Lithuanian mythology. With (unrelated) Audrey at the top of the girl name charts, Audros feels like a handsome masculine successor.

The name of the falcon-headed god of war in Ancient Egyptian mythology, Montu means "nomad", associating it with travel and movement. The god emerged as a manifestation of the scorching effect of the sun god Ra, and became associated with destruction, warriors, and war. The Ancient Egyptians saw Montu as both glorifying violent exploits and attacking enemies of truth and cosmic order.

More substantial than it sounds: Shango was the god of thunder and legendary ancestor of the Yoruba people of Nigeria.

Sounds like a name from an old science fiction movie -- but this god of letters invented writing, and so might interest parents who are writers or professors.